Bottle-crate



A. L. FOREMAN.

BOTTLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILEIJ MAR. 3o. 1920.

1,368,221. Patented Feb. 8,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Amos I.. Forrmrl ray Hw A-fffoRfJy @IM M A. L. FOREIVIAN.

BOTTLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30 |920.

1.368,221. Patented Feb. 8,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVrJfoR A. L. FOREMAN.

BOULE CRATE.

A. L. FOREMAN.

BOTTLE CRATE.

APPLTcATloN FILED mman, 1920.

Patented Feb. 8,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

NNTOR lames L. foairmrl m7' H15 pyfffoqdy www, M

view of said base plate on the line Il 1r-4,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS L. FOREMAN, OF YORK, PENNSYLVAN ASSIGNOR TO'MILK DEALERS CRATE CORPORATION, OF WILMINGTON,

DELAWARE, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BOTTLE-CRATE.

Spccication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8,. 1921.

Application led March 3Q, '1920. Serial No. 369,841.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, AMos L. FOREMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in York, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Bottle-Crates, of which the following is a specificationk My invention relates to bottle carrying crates, the object of my invention being to construct a crate of this type in such a way I that bottles in it will be rmly yet resiliently supported whether mouth up or inverted, and the crate will be of strong and rigid structure capable of being quickly and readily assembled during manufacture and as easilytaken down in the event that the removal of a worn or defective portion becomes necessary. This object I' attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a bottle carrying crate constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same illustrating, particularly, certain bottle separating and supporting partition strips;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 33, ig. l, illustrating, particularly, the bottle supporting base plate of the crate;

Fig. 4 is a diagonalvertical sectional Fig.'3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55, Fig. 2, illustrating the manner in which certain sectional elements of which the crate walls are constructed are retained in proper position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating a modified form of construction, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the bottle separating and supporting partition strips'. f'

A crate' constructed in accordance with my invention comprises, primarily, end

walls 1, side walls 2, one or'more series of longitudinal bottle separating and supporting partition strips 6 with which are interwoven corresponding series of similar transverse partition strips 7, and a base plate 8 in which are formedJ pockets' for the reception of the bottles.

The end and side walls of the crate each consist of a set of vertically separable sections and the ends of the partition strips 6 partition strip .to provide a resilient and 7 project between adjacent sections of the respectlvewalls, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, and are anchored in such position ,1n a manner to be later described. The same means which serve to anchor the partition strlps also serve to maintain the sections of the walls in proper vertical relation'one to another.

Each partition strip is provided, in each edge, wlth a series of segmental notches or recesses 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. These recesses are so positioned and proportioned that each bottle, where it passes through a strata, receives substantially clrcular support. Additional sup ort is furnished by providing at each notc or recess a slightly tal langeor finger 10. These fingers serve lateral support for each bottle in a crate and consequently tend to prevent breakage of bottles due to sudden-lateral movement of the crate.

The base plate 8 of the crate comprises a sheet of suitable material of such size asv to project lbetween the bottom section of each wall of the crate and the next adjoining sections above and be retained' therebetween by the same means that hold the wall sections and partition strips in place.

This base plate 8 is so perforated and shaped that it has formed in it pockets for the reception of each bottle in the crate, whether the bottle is inserted mouth up or inverted. Each pocket comprises a central opening 11, a series of radial openings 12, a circular bead 13, a circular seat 14, a

smaller circulary seat v15. a series of radial beads 16, and a plurality of upstanding resilient fingers 17.

The various openings are for the purpose of lessening the weight of the base plate, providing ventilation and permitting washing` and sterilizing of inverted bottles while they are in the crate. Each circular seat 14l is adapted to receive and support the bottom of a bottle when the same is inserted mouth up and the .circular bead 13 which surrounds said seat serves to impart to it a degree of resiliency that will prevent breakage of the bottle should the same be droppedinto the crate with too great force. Similarly, each smaller circular seat 15 receives and supports a bottle when the same -is inserted in the crate in inverted position. This seat is vertically resilient as resilient depending segmena result of the surrounding bead 13. rlhe radial beads 16 serve to support the mouth of: an inverted bottle clear of the base of the seat 15 so as to permit drainage during washing of the bottles. The resilient lingers 17 provide yielding lateral support to the bottom of a mouth up bottle and serve to prevent accidental displacement of the o same shouldit be dislodged from 'its seat as a result of violent or careless handling of the crate.

rlhe before referred to means for retaining the sections of the walls in proper position, together with the artition strips and ,base plate'will now be escribed with especial reference to the showing in Flgs. 5 and 6, referringjirst to F ig. 5. Non-rotatably secured to one of the central .sectionsy of each wall of the crate are a series of internally threaded sleeves 18 so positioned as to be in vertical alinement with openings 19 (Fig. 7) in the `end portions of the partition strips 6 and 7 and With correspondlng openings in the base plate 8.l Each of these sleeves rel ceives the threaded ends of a pair of bolts 20 and 21, the bolt 20 passing downwardly from the top of the crate, passing through each wall section and partition strlp end losleeve, if such there should be.

v or tying device consisting of bolts 20a and 21a having reduced inner ends 20b and 21" engaged by sockets in theends of a coupling 18". The 'entire device 'is of the same diameter from 'end to end' and the separating strip ends are shown as engaged bythe coupling instead of by either of the bolts.

I claim:

1. A bottle crate comprising walls, bottle' separating partitions and a bottle supporting base, said base consisting of a plate of sheet metal in which are formed bottle receiving pockets.

2. A bottle crate comprising walls, bottle separating partitions, and a bottle supporting base, said base consisting of a plate of sheet metal in which are formed vertically resillent bottle receiving pockets.

3. A bottle crate comprlsing walls, bottle separating partitions, and a bottle support- -ing base,` said base consisting of a plate of Sheet metal in which are formed individu- '.allyl, ,vertically y .resilient bottle receivingl 5. A bottle crate comprising walls, bottle separating partitions, and a bottle supporting base, said base consisting of a plate of sheet metal in which are formed vertically resilient bottle receiving pockets and from which project upstanding laterally vresilient fingers adapted to engage the sides of the bottles.

v 6. A bottle crate comprising walls, bottle separating partitions, and a bottle supporting base, said base consisting of a plate of sheet metal in' which are formed concentric bottle receiving pockets of different diameters.

7. A bottle crate comprising walls, bottle separating partitions, and a bottle supporting base, said base consisting of a plate of sheet metal in which are formed concentric vertically resilient bottle receiving pockets of different diameters.

8. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, said sections being secured together by pairs of vertically alined bolts, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of each pair passing upwardly from the bottom of the Wall.

9. A bottle crate having walls'comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, said sections being secured together by pairs of vertically alined bolts, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of each pair passing upwardly from the bottom of the wall,

sald pairs of bolts being embedded inthe i walls.`

10. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, said sections being secured together by pairs of vertically alined bolts, one bolt bf each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of each pair passing upwardlyy from the bottom of the wall, the inner ends of each pair of bolts being en aged by a common nut.

11,A ottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, said sections being secured together by pairs of vertically alined bolts, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the Wall and the other bolt of each pair passing upwardly from the bottom of the wall, the inner ends of each pair of bolts being engaged by a common nut, said pairs of bolts and nuts being embedded in the wall. l

12. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, and bottle separating strips the endsof which project between adjoining wall sections, sald wall sections and separating strips being' retained in position by means of pairs of vertically alined bolts passing through said wall sections and separating strip ends, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of said pair passing upwardly from the bottom of the wall.

13. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, and bottle separating strips the ends of which project between adjoining wall sections, said wall sections and separating strips being retained in position by means of pairs of vertically alined bolts passing through said wall sections, and separating strip ends, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of said pair passing upwardly from .the bottom of the wall, the inner ends of each pair of bolts being engaged by a common nut.

1,4. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, bottle separating strips the ends ot' which project between adjoining wall sections, and a bottle supporting base the edges of which vproject between the bottom wall sections and the next sections above, said wall sections, separating strips and base being retained in position by means of pairs of vertically alined bolts passing through said wall sections, separating strip ends and base, one bolt of each pair passing downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of Said pair passing upwardly .from the bottom of the wall.

15. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable secl tions, bottle separating strips the ends of which project between adjoining wall sections, and -a bottle Supporting base, the edges of which project between the bottom wall sections and the nextsections above, said wall sections, separating strips and base being retained in position by means of pairs of vertically alined bolts passing through said wall sections, separating strip ends and base, one bolt of each pair passing `downwardly from the top of the wall and the other bolt of said pair passing upwardly from the bottom of the wall, the inner ends of each pair of bolts being engaged by a common nut.

16. A bottle crate having walls comprising a plurality of vertically separable sections, bottle separating strips the ends of which project between adjoining wall sections, and a bottle supporting base, the edges of which project between the bottom wall sections and the next sections above, said wall sections, separating strips and base being retained in position by means ofuniting devices each comprising a pair of bolts and a central coupling, said devices engaging with said wall sections, separating strips and base.

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification.

AMos L. FOREMAN. 

